MONTICELLO, Fla.— Governor Ron DeSantis announced the official launch of Florida’s America250FL campaign to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. As part of the celebration, the Governor unveiled a new statue of Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson County—honoring the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and one of America’s most influential founding fathers.

“While others are tearing statues of our founding fathers down, Florida is putting them up,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Thomas Jefferson was a critical figure in the formation of our country, especially in drafting the Declaration of Independence. In Florida, we celebrate the Founding Fathers.”

The event marked the second in a series of statue unveilings planned across Florida counties named for America’s founders. Statues will also be installed in Washington, Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, and Monroe Counties over the next year. Many other events and celebrations are planned and will ramp up across Florida all year in celebration of next year’s semiquincentennial.  Continue reading →

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.— Governor DeSantis announced school grades for the 2024-25 academic year and highlighted statewide progress monitoring testing. Continuing the trend from 2023-24, improvements were seen in K-12 school performance grades across all school types, including 71% of all graded schools (2,461 schools) earning either an “A” or “B” grade, compared to 64% (2,215) of schools last year. Florida charter schools are also thriving with 77% earning “A” or “B” grades.

For information about positive results from Florida’s progress monitoring testing, refer to this press release.

“Florida’s use of statewide progress monitoring is yet another example of how Florida leads on education,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Providing more opportunities for parents and teachers to intervene in a child’s performance in school leads to better outcomes and a higher quality education.”

“This year’s school grades demonstrate that Florida’s focus on the future of education has paid off,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida has implemented innovative strategies like progress monitoring and provided students with the choices they need to succeed. The 2025 school grades are a reflection of the nation-leading education reforms that Florida has implemented.”

“Florida has laid the blueprint for educational success in America,” said Incoming Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “These school grades are another example of how our approach is working.” Continue reading →

SARASOTA, Fla.—Today, Governor DeSantis announced Florida has earned the #1 spot on the First Liberty Institute’s Religious Liberty in the States Index. The “Religious Liberty in the States Index” is a comprehensive, peer-reviewed comparison of how all 50 states protect religious liberty through law. The index offers the most comprehensive legal analysis of religious liberty protections across all 50 states, evaluating factors such as religious exemptions, protections for religious organizations and schools, and the freedom of individuals to live out their faith in both public and private life.

“Florida holds several #1 rankings, leading the nation in education, economy, and tourism—and now, Florida is #1 in religious liberty,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We’re grateful for this recognition from the First Liberty Institute, which has just named Florida the #1 state in the nation for protecting religious liberty. Religious liberty is critical to the foundation and function of America, and I am proud that Florida excels in protecting this right.”

Florida has championed policies and legislation that have protected religious freedom for Floridians.

Washington, D.C. – The .S. House of Representatives passed the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act, a landmark, bipartisan bill that protects Americans with disabilites from being denied life-saving organ transplants solely based on their disability. This legislation, sponsored by Representatives Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), ensures that disability is never used as a barrier to receiving critical medical care.

This bill upholds, clarifies, and builds upon protections established under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. It prohibits discrimination by covered entities–including hospitals, transplant centers, and insurance providers–in the organ transplant process.

Specifically, the Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Act bars the following actions solely based on disability:  Continue reading →

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—a historic package that secures our border, cuts taxes, strengthens rural communities, and delivers real results for Americans. Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) released the following statement following its passage:

“Florida’s Third District is home to hardworking families, first responders, small businesses, and rural communities—and this bill reflects their priorities.

It permanently extends the Trump Tax Cuts, preventing the largest tax hike in U.S. history. Without these provisions, more than 452,000 taxpayers in FL-03 would face higher rates, over 81,000 families would see their Child Tax Credit cut in half, and local small businesses and farms would be devastated by rising taxes. This bill stops that.

It also puts money back in families’ pockets by eliminating federal taxes on tips, overtime, and car loan interest. It protects rural hospitals, cleans up waste in programs like SNAP and Medicaid, and ensures benefits go to those who truly need them—not illegal immigrants or elite institutions gaming the system.

Most importantly, this bill secures our southern border with the strongest enforcement measures in a generation—deploying new technology, adding more boots on the ground, and reinstating policies that stop the flow of illegal crossings and fentanyl at the source.

This is what Americans voted for last November. They demanded tax relief, secure borders, and real accountability in Washington, and that’s exactly what this bill delivers. This is what the America First agenda looks like, and I’m proud to support it.”

Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) released the following statement following U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ announcement of $675.9 million in federal disaster assistance for Florida farmers impacted by Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene, and Milton:

“Florida’s agriculture industry isn’t just the backbone of our state’s economy—it’s a cornerstone of our national food security. From citrus growers and cattle ranchers to timber operations and family farms, the devastation from back-to-back storms has been overwhelming. This $675.9 million investment will go a long way in helping our producers rebuild infrastructure, recover lost income, and stay in business,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Rollins, and our state partner, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, for recognizing the urgent needs on the ground and delivering the targeted, meaningful relief our ag community needs and deserves.”  Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has added a count of victim tampering against a defendant already charged with human trafficking of a minor. While in pretrial detention at Wakulla County Jail, authorities intercepted three letters sent by Sky Skidmore to the victim, the victim’s mother, and Skidmore’s mother. These letters were intended to intimidate the victim.
“This defendant, who is currently in pretrial detention for committing heinous acts of human trafficking against a minor, chose to escalate his terrible situation by sending letters to intimidate and deter the victim from testifying at trial,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Our Statewide Prosecutors have added this additional charge for this human trafficker and will continue to work diligently to hold him accountable for his atrocious crimes.”
Last year, the Office of Statewide Prosecution charged Skidmore with human trafficking, lewd and lascivious bat-tery, encouraging the sexual performance of a minor, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Skidmore remains in pretrial detention.
Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Guillermo Vallejo is handling the case.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued subpoenas to RAD Diversified REIT, Inc., its subsidiaries, and its owners, Brandon “Dutch” Mendenhall and Amy Vaughn, arising out of allegations that RAD Diversified REIT, Mendenhall and Vaughn have violated Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act or other laws. Mendenhall and Vaughn are internet personalities who advertise seminars that encourage Floridians to invest in real estate through the RAD Diversified REIT and its subsidiaries.

“Our office has received complaints that a popular internet duo selling real estate investment services through their fund is pocketing cash instead of buying properties as advertised,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “This appears to be a Ponzi scheme, and with several individuals claiming they’ve been exploited, we are investigating to ensure Floridians are not being deceived by greedy fraudsters.”

Mendenhall and Vaughn, owners of RAD Diversified REIT, Inc. and its subsidiaries, post videos online and on social media to promote their fund, which is supposed to pool investor funds and invest in real estate. Additionally, Mendenhall and Vaughn host periodic in-person seminars that advertise RAD Diversified REIT, Inc. as a way for Floridians to invest in real estate if they do not have enough funds to buy property outright. However, many investors have complained that they cannot collect returns or get their money back due to roadblocks by Mendenhall and Vaughn. The investigation and subpoenas seek to gather information about these complaints and whether the company owns real estate equivalent in value to the amount invested by RAD Diversified REIT customers. Continue reading →

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier is launching an investigation into Robinhood Crypto, LLC. and issuing a subpoena to uncover internal documents. Robinhood Crypto allegedly is breaking Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Practices Act by falsely promoting its crypto platform as the least expensive way to purchase crypto—when there is evidence to suggest that is not true.

“Crypto is a vital component of Florida’s financial future, and President Trump’s efforts to advance the crypto market will make America stronger and wealthier. When consumers buy and sell crypto assets, they deserve transparency in their transactions,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Robinhood has long claimed to be the best bargain, but we believe those representations were deceptive.”

Robinhood is a cryptocurrency and stock trading platform. Instead of charging a commission, Robinhood generates revenue by routing customers’ trades to third-party firms. These firms pay Robinhood for the opportunity to take the opposite side of its customers’ trades, also known as payment for order flow or PFOF.  Continue reading →

Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03) released the following statement following the U.S. Department of Commerce’s termination of the 2019 Suspension Agreement on fresh tomatoes from Mexico:

“For far too long, American tomato growers—especially those in Florida—have been forced to compete against artificially low prices driven by unfair trade practices,” said Congresswoman Cammack. “The termination of this agreement sends a clear message: we’re standing up for American farmers and restoring integrity to our agricultural markets. Food security is national security. Our farmers deserve a fair shot to compete—and this marks a critical step forward in making that possible. I am grateful to the Trump Administration and Secretary Lutnick for their unwavering support.”

Background:

Florida is one of the nation’s largest tomato-producing states, and growers have long raised concerns about the impact of dumped Mexican imports on their ability to stay in business. The 2019 Suspension Agreement halted anti-dumping duties on Mexican tomatoes in exchange for price and volume restrictions from Mexican exporters. With yesterday’s decision, those duties will now go into effect, with most imports subject to a 20.91% tariff. This decision is widely seen as a victory for domestic agriculture and a meaningful step toward fairer trade enforcement. Continue reading →